Stanchion



Patented May 14, 1889.

(No Model.)

A. P. MEARS.

STANHION.

UNITED STATES PATENT FEICE.

ALBERT F. MEARS, OF VVAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

STANCHION.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 403,122, dated May 14, 1889.

Application filed October 9, 1888.

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. MEARS, of Vakefield, in the county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Animal-Releasing Devices, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and eXact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a perspective View of my improved releasing device represented as in use; Fig. 2, a horizontal section taken on line a" :c in Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a side elevation of one of the stanchions detached.

Like letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different iigures of the drawings.

My invention relates to that class of releasing devices which are especially adapted for use with horned animals; and it consists in a novel construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, the object being to provide a more effective and otherwise desirable device of this character than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation.

In the drawings, M represents the framework of the device considered as a whole. The frame consists of two horizontally-arranged parallel sills or bed-pieces, A B, and two similarly-arranged parallel beams, F G, connected at their ends with the ends of said sills by vertically-arranged posts C D.

Fitted to slide longitudinally in the frame M below the beams F G, and supported in the post C, is a forked bar, H, provided on its outer end with a handle, I. (See Fig. 2.) A series of vertically-arranged stanchions, .I K, are disposed at regular intervals inside of the frame, the lower ends of said stanchions being secured between the sills A B by bolts a. The upper endspass between the armsof theforked bar H and beams F G, the ends of the stanchions J being fastened to said beams by screws b. The upper ends of the stanchions K are left free to slide laterally between the two Serial No. 287,642. (No model.)

arms d fof the bar H, (see Fig. 2,) and are provided with two pin-holes, g h, (see Fig. 3,) the lower ends of said stanchions being pivoted on the bolts a in the sills A B. Longitudinally-arranged spiral springs j are disposed between lugs t' on the handle I and inner end of the bar H and the posts C D, said springs being held in position by pins 15 on said posts and lugs, and tend to force said bar H outward in the direct-ion of arrow 2. Wear-plates m o are respectively secured to the front of the bar I-I and beam G, said plates being provided with pin-holes, with which the holes h g in the stanchions K, respectively, register when said stanchions are in a vertical position.

The bar H is held in position against the pressure of the springs j by means of a detachable retaining-pin, 1c, inserted in a hole in said bar and engaging the inner face of said post C, said pin being attached to the post by a chain, s.

Pins p, inserted in the pin-holes in the bar H and through the corresponding hole in t-he movable stanchions K, pivot said stanchions to said bar.

In the use of my improvement, the pin lo being removed from the bar H, the pressure of the spring j will force said bar outward, carrying with it the movable stanchions K, which assume the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 1. As will be readily understood, this leaves sufficient space between said stanchions K and the adjacent fixed stanchion J to permit the heads of the cattle to be inserted between them. The bar H is then forced inward by means of the handle I, and

secured by the pin k, as described, thereby causing the movable stanchion to assume a vertical position again and preventing the cattle from withdrawing their heads.

It will be seen that my device is specially useful in case of iire or when from any cause it is desirable to release all of'the cattle at once, as by removing the pin k from the bar H the stanchions K are moved simultaneously on said bar, when the springs force it outward.

As it frequently is desirable to retain certain of the animals, the pin p of the stanchion which fastens said animal is inserted in the hole in the wear-plate 0 on the' beam G and through the hole g in said stanchion, thereby securing it to said beam and freeing it from IOO jecting lug near one end and with pin-holes at intervals opposite the pivoted stanehions, pins foi1 connecting said pivoted stanehions with the sliding bai, a spring interposed between the post of the frame and said lug foi' automatically sliding said bar to open the stanohions, and a key for holding said bai' in normallyelosed position.

ALBERT F. MEARS. Witnesses:

O. M. SHAW, E. M. SPINNEY. 

